Fix You
by JadeDragonKnight
Summary: Dedede finally succeeds.  Kirby is banished from Dream Land, carrying a broken heart with him.  Now the only person that can comfort him is his rival, Meta Knight.  Disclaimer to the songs included in the story.
1. Chapter 1 Exile

Fix You

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 1: Exile

Dream Land seemed more active than ever. It was a beautiful day and the village was full of life. Everyone was doing something. The children were playing and the adults were working or socializing, but this wasn't the case at the castle.

"Escargon," King Dedede shouted from his throne.

Escargon stumbled a bit from the sudden booming voice.

"Uh, yes your majesty," he replied in an unsure way.

"I'm dying of boredom! Is there anything exciting going on down there?"

Dedede was flicking through the channels on his big screened TV. Empty snack bags and crushed soda cans were scattered around his area. Escargon was on the patio overlooking the village with his binoculars.

"I'm checking. Well, everyone seems to be doing something. The whole village is alive."

He turned back around and gave the back of Dedede's head a tried look.

"Maybe you're just lazy," he mumbled.

Dedede whirled around in his chair and angrily asked, "What was that?"

Escargon winced in fear and replied, "Ah! Nothing!"

Dedede turned back around and propped his head on the chair arm.

"Whatever, I don't want to hear any more about the village. There's been nothing to do here since we fixed up the castle," he sighed.

_'We?' _Escargon thought to himself as he went to the king's side. "Well, we can come up with something," the snail said.

Suddenly, the image on the TV screen turned to static.

"Hey, I was watching that," Dedede said as he tried to change the channel.

The static changed into a familiar face.

"Ah, your majesty, it's so nice to see you again," Customer Service warmly said.

"What, you," Dedede and Escargon asked at the same time.

"Wait a minute! I thought you and your whole fortress blew up," Dedede said pointing.

"Ah, yes. The fortress is gone, but I and a few demons are all that remain. We found it quite difficult to set up shop somewhere else and get in touch with you. Let's just say this conversation is just short of a miracle," the business man replied, his hands locked together.

"Don't be so casually about this," Escargon argued, "we're not so happy to see you."

"I do apologize if I upset you, but that's all in the past. I was hoping that we can do business again-"

"Yeah right! Not after you drained me of money AND wrecked the entire castle," Dedede heatedly interrupted.

The man shook his hands in the air.

"No, no, no, you got it all wrong. Well, like I said, that's in the past. Even our old methods have changed."

"Oh really," the king questioned, his eyebrow raised.

"Of course, if we were to do business again then the few demons I have in stock will not be of much use to you, but we have something different and more efficient. We have designed mechanized demons that are ten times as effective as the old fashioned ones."

"You mean you went robotic," Escargon asked.

"Exactly, and since you've been such loyal customers, I'll give you a 90% discount for every purchase you make."

"Wow, that's a bargain," Dedede added, on the edge of his seat.

"So, I take it you're still trying to get rid of Kirby," the man asked.

The king and his attendant devilishly grinned at each other.

"Oh yeah, show us all the robot demons you got," Dedede said, smirking.

* * *

"Haha, you can't catch me," Bun called back as he ran.

"Oh yeah," Fumu asked as she continued to run after him.

All the children were scattered around Bun and Fumu. They would instantly run away if Fumu got close to keep from getting tagged. Giggles constantly filled the air. Soon, she stopped to catch her breath. All the kids grouped together and waited.

Then, she glared up and said, "You better run, because I'm going to get you!"

She started after them as they all headed toward the village to get away. The villagers turned toward the sound of laughing coming their way. The small group hurriedly dodged the adults and swiftly made their way through the town. Suddenly, everyone stopped. The children halted and their laughing went silent. The townspeople stopped what they were doing and stared. Something was coming towards the village. As it got closer they noticed some Waddle Dee pulling a large cart with what looked like a huge, metal egg resting on top. All the villagers gathered in a semi-circle around the approaching team. The Waddle Dee stopped the cart as it got close to the crowd and then started to head back to the castle.

Fumu stepped up and asked, "Captain, what's going on here? What is that thing?"

The captain of the Waddle Dees turned to her and replied, "We had orders from the king to bring this here. We were not informed of what this object is."

The captain then headed back to the castle along with his group. The villagers continued to gaze at the large egg.

"What do you think it is?" Sam, the barkeeper, asked Mabel, the fortuneteller.

"I don't known, but it's hideous," she replied.

"Maybe it's a present from his majesty," the mayor suggested.

"Oh man, we all know that anything from Dedede can't be good," Bun added.

"Hmm, what's he up to now," Fumu muttered.

* * *

"Hehehe, your majesty, it's in the village now," Escargon said, looking through his binoculars.

"Excellent," Dedede replied, grinning.

He looked down at the harmless looking egg at the entrance of the village. As he continued to stare at it, he pulled out a little remote with a red button on it and pointed it at the egg.

"Let the fun begin," he slyly stated as he pushed the button.

* * *

Suddenly, the metal egg sifted at some places. The action startled the crowd. Steam began to blow from the cracks. Then, the egg began to sift, compress, and little blocks and pieces started to fit together. As it did this, Fumu noticed that it was quickly taking shape. Two legs elevated the upper half of the body. What looked like wings shielded the upper half. Once all the pieces stopped moving, the wings were thrown back, revealing a terrifying Pterodactyl head roaring down at the villagers. The crowd was stunned and some started screaming. The demon flapped its long, leather wings and jumped off the cart. It gave another horrid screech and began to use the claws on the wings to crawl towards them. The villagers scattered and searched for a place to hide. The monster slowly approached Bun and Fumu who haven't moved from shock and surprise. The metallic dinosaur reared up again and screamed at them, showing its many razor sharp teeth.

Fumu got her act together and shouted as loud as she could, "Kirby!"

* * *

Kirby was napping in his little house. His steady breathing was the only sound that broke the silence. Suddenly, a cry for help filled the room. Kirby immediately sat up and shook the tiredness away. He looked out one of the windows and noticed that something was terrorizing the village. He quickly bolted out the door and ran as fast as he could toward the town.

* * *

The townspeople were in a panic. They did everything they could to stay hidden. Bun and Fumu were not able to run and hide like everyone else. They were locked on by the robot demon and couldn't escape. They were soon backed into a wall. The demon continued to inch closer, its bright red eyes glaring down at them. It slowly reared up once more. Fumu and Bun got closer to each other in fear, not taking their eyes off the demon. It shrieked as it came down on them. Suddenly, the demon went flying in the other direction. Fumu and Bun looked up to see Kirby standing there with his hammer out. "Kirby," they both said, relieved. The demon gathered itself from the ground and faced its prime target. Kirby put away his hammer and stood ready. The demon roared and lunged at him. He quickly dodged the attack and threw a swift kick to its head. The hit didn't seem to affect it. The robot then spread its wings and lifted itself into the sky. Kirby dived out of the way when the metallic dinosaur swooped down to get him.

"Come on, Kirby! You can beat it," Bun cheered.

* * *

Meta Knight was walking through the corridors of the castle. Then, he heard a loud screech. He rushed to the nearest patio and saw a flying metal demon attacking the village. He jumped on top of the railing and prepared to race to the town, but he stopped himself short. He remembered that the king ordered him to stay in the castle until further notice. He sifted his weight to get more comfortable and wrapped himself in his cape. This didn't ease his anxiety though. _'This can't be a coincidence,' _he thought to himself. Then, he heard laughing to his right. He looked over and saw Escargon and King Dedede watching the fight.

"Look at that thing go," Escargon cheered.

"This time we'll beat Kirby for sure," King Dedede added.

Meta Knight went back to the fight. He was certain now. He was ordered not to interfere.

* * *

Kirby focused on the incoming attack. At the last second, he sidestepped and grabbed hold of the robot's long neck. As it returned to the sky, the demon began to buck over and over again. Kirby hung on tight while he tried to figure out what to do next. He tried to bend the neck, but it wouldn't give. The demon swooped down again and crashed into some buildings, trying to throw him off. It barrel rolled into a house. Kirby had finally let go and weakly fell to the ground. He looked up to see the demon was crawling towards him. Its teeth began to rapidly move back and forth like a chain-saw. Kirby quickly got up and hurriedly glanced around him. He noticed a large stone across from him. He sucked it up and fired the stone at the demon, which was very close. The rock jammed into its mouth and the teeth stopped moving. The others gave a little cheer, thinking that he stopped the monster. Then, the robot placed its claws on the rock and effortlessly crushed it into rubble. It screeched at Kirby again, but that's when he noticed a loose piece of metal on its skull. He dodged the next attack and began to run away from it. The demon trailed behind him. Kirby stopped in front of a building and faced the incoming demon. The villagers inside the house scattered. At the last second, Kirby jumped out of the way of the speeding robot. It went head long into the shop and destroyed it. When it crawled out of the rubble, the loose piece of metal peeled back even more, showing a strange red light. Kirby repeated this process until the piece of metal finally fell off. A small dome shielding red plasma was visible. Kirby figured it was the brain.

He stopped, out of breath. The robot stopped behind him, reared up, and roared down on him. Its teeth made the chain-saw movement again as it came down on him. Kirby jumped above its crushing jaws and took out his hammer. When the demon started to look up, Kirby came down on it and shattered the dome with his mallet. The metal dinosaur let out a faded cry and collapsed to the ground. Its bright red eyes faded to black. Kirby jumped down on the ground. He glanced at the defeated demon, cheered, and began to do his victory dance. Suddenly, he stopped eyes wide and staring at the red flashing light on the back of the robot. The red light flashed faster. Then the demon self-destructed.

* * *

Meta Knight gave a slight gasp as he saw a huge smoke cloud erupt from the village.

"What just happened?"

Meta Knight glanced at the distressed king.

"I-it blew up. The demon exploded sire," Escargon worryingly replied through his binoculars.

"What? Give me that," he commanded as he snatched the binoculars from his attendant and peered through them.

The strap was still around Escargon's neck. He struggled as the sudden tug choked him.

"Ack- sire! The s-strap," he tried to say.

"I don't believe this! Kirby really destroyed it," he angrily shouted, ignoring his frantic assistant.

He let go of the scopes as he began to pace back and forth. Escargon slumped over the railing, regaining his breath.

"How in the world does he do it," King Dedede complained, "he's defeated every demon we throw at him! Is there no beating that guy?"

Escargon weakly glanced up back at the village and grew wide eyed. He hurriedly looked through his binoculars and became shocked.

"Your majesty, the villagers are doing something!"

"What? Let me see," Dedede said as he rushed over and peered through one eye on the binoculars.

Meta Knight gazed back into the town. He only wished he knew what was going on.

* * *

The black smoke cleared. Kirby was flat on his back from the force of the explosion. When he came to, he jumped up and rubbed his eyes. He was covered with dirt. He looked through the crowd of villagers that were gathering around him. None of the faces seemed happy or grateful. They all glared at him with fire in their eyes. Kirby became confused until someone finally spoke up.

"Kirby, look what you did. This place is a mess," Sam stated.

Some angered words of agreement circled the group. Kirby was startled. The town _was _in shambles. All the houses and shops were either damaged or completely destroyed. He searched the crowd for Bun and Fumu. Surely they would support him. When he saw them, they looked like the rest of the townspeople. They both glared at him with their arms crossed. He could feel his throat begin to knot up.

"You destroyed the town!"

"This could take months to fix!"

"We know you were trying to help, but you just made things worse!"

The mayor stepped through the crowd and faced Kirby.

"Kirby, I know it was in your best interest to save us, but this has gone too far. So, on behave of the village and its people…"

He paused. The first word that came to his mind didn't seem appropriate for whom he was speaking to.

"I'm going to have to ask you to kindly leave, and not come back," he finished as gently as he could.

Tears welled up in Kirby's eyes. He knew what the mayor meant. He was being banished. Despite how he felt, he didn't speak out. He didn't complain or cry. He simply turned around and began to walk out of the town. Some of the people were happy to see him go, but inside all their hearts sank as low as they could go. Fumu seized glaring and she looked away, ashamed of herself for letting this happen.

* * *

Meta Knight was shocked. Why was Kirby leaving?

"I don't believe this! The villagers must have driven him away," Escargon said as he continued to look through his side of the binoculars.

Dedede looked up at him and asked, "Do you know what this means?"

Escargon put the scopes down and asked, "What?"

The king threw his arms in the air and cheered, "We finally beat Kirby!"

They both cheered and began to dance around in victory. Meta Knight wasn't celebrating. His eyes were locked on the forlorn warrior. _'I don't understand,' _he thought to himself. _'Kirby has helped us for so long. He's even defeated Nightmare and saved the universe. But even after all that, this is what it's come to? Driven away by the people he has protected all these years, after the fighting is over?' _He looked over at the king and his attendant as they happily danced around. _'This isn't right. This isn't how Kirby should go.' _He jumped off the railing and walked back inside the castle. He wasn't going to let this slide.


	2. Chapter 2 Broken Heart

Fix You

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 2: Broken Heart

A short time has passed before the whole castle knew what happened. King Dedede insisted that they have a feast in honor of his great accomplishment. All the Waddle Dee hurriedly prepared the dining hall for this grand banquet. Somewhere else in the castle, Blade and Sword just found out that Kirby was gone. They went looking for Meta Knight to see if he heard the news. They found him walking down the corridors with a back pack strung over his shoulders.

"Sir Meta Knight," they both called on their way over to meet him.

He stopped and turned toward his approaching subordinates.

"Did you hear," Sword asked as they caught up to him, "Kirby's been driven out of the village for good."

"I've heard," he replied.

Blade glanced at the back pack.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Oh, just a little trip," he replied calmly.

"You're not going to stay? His majesty is having a feast," Sword added.

Meta Knight studied them for a bit. They didn't seem to be happy about all this. In fact, when Sword mentioned the feast, he seemed indifferent about it. Meta Knight knew they had good intentions. They didn't want to see Kirby go.

He shifted the pack a bit and replied, "I'll come back soon. Will you guys look after things while I'm gone?"

They glanced at each other and said, "Of course."

Meta Knight nodded and continued to walk down the hall. Blade and Sword didn't follow him. They knew it was personal business since he didn't say where he was going. That also meant he was going to be fine by himself. They headed the other way and thought about what they were going to do now. The feast wasn't the first thing on their minds.

* * *

Kirby stopped walking and turned toward the village. His eyes were red from when he was packing the few things he had. They were wrapped in a red cloth and tied to a long stick that he supported on his shoulder. He could barely see it now. The buildings were still demolished, reminding him why he was leaving. This brought the tears again. He looked away and wiped the tears from his eyes. Ahead of him, the sun was close to setting. He began to walk again, nearing the forest. Once he crossed it, he would be out of Dream Land. Suddenly, he stopped. He heard something coming towards him. When he turned toward the sound, he noticed it was Meta Knight coming up to him. He saw a back pack on his shoulders.

He stopped when he caught up with him and said, "It's getting dark. It's dangerous to travel through the forest by yourself at this time."

Kirby stared at the ground.

"Mind if I come with you?" he asked calmly.

He glanced up at him, but returned to staring at the ground. He sadly shook his head.

"Alright, lead the way."

Kirby began to walk again. Meta Knight followed close behind. He didn't really care that Meta Knight was traveling with him. At least he didn't seem like he hated him for what happened to the village. Meta Knight tried to get a good look of Kirby's face, but not that hard.

"So, where are you headed?"

Kirby looked up at some distant mountains. He pointed at them, still not looking at the knight.

"That's a long walk from here. You think you're going to make it?"

Kirby shook his head. He didn't care if he made it or not. He just wanted to get away from the village. Meta Knight realized this and didn't say anything for a while. The path ended and the thin, brush covered trail into the forest began.

The sun had finally set. It was nearly pitch-black in the forest. Kirby could barely see, but Meta Knight could. His eyes glowed bright which allowed him to see. He led the way with Kirby close behind. He was so close Meta Knight could hear him breath. He could also hear something ahead of them. He couldn't really tell what is was, but he knew they were getting close. The sound was becoming clearer and soon he could tell it was the sound of a guitar mixed with laughter. A faint glow through the brush enticed him to come close. He parted the overgrowth. He and Kirby stopped and stared. Before them were a couple of travelers. One of them was holding an acoustic guitar and the other was holding a piece of food. They must have been surprised to see the warriors since all they did was gawk, their eyes wide. Suddenly, they dropped everything and ran away screaming.

"Hey, wait a second," Meta Knight called after them.

He attempted to stop them, but they were already out of earshot.

He sighed and said, "Well, it can't be helped now. Come on Kirby."

Kirby was still standing at the point where they entered the camp. He was looking at the ground. He was starting to look depressed. Meta Knight sat down on the log that was in front of the fire and set his things down. Kirby slowly walked in and sat on the ground near the flame and placed his belongings next to him.

"Kirby, don't worry about them. I'm sure they weren't scared of you, it was probably me. I mean we look nothing a-"

Kirby looked at him miserably. Meta Knight stopped himself. The truth was they looked very similar.

"Never mind," he sighed.

Kirby went back to looking at the fire. Meta Knight rubbed his hand uneasily across his forehead. _'I'm terrible at this. Maybe talking to him isn't the best idea.' _He looked down at the guitar the men left behind. _'Actions do speak louder than words, but what about actions with words?' _He picked it up and examined it. There didn't seem to be any damage done to it, but the strings were loose and sagging. Meta Knight set it upright and strummed a string. It barely made a sound. It was clear that the instrument was horribly tuned. He began to twist the small knobs on the neck of the guitar and test the sound once in a while.

As he did this, he took another look at Kirby. He seemed like an empty shell of how he once was. The reflection of the fire in his eyes was the only thing bright Meta Knight could find. He didn't think it was natural for Kirby to be this depressed. He must be really hurt. Why wouldn't he be? He's been exiled from the only home he had.

The guitar was finally tuned. Meta Knight looked at the ground for a second. He was thinking of a song to play. He didn't know very many and none seemed to fit. Then, he found one that was perfect. He slowly started to play.

When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

Kirby looked up at the knight. He was listening to his song.

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose somethin' you can't replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to Fix You

Meta Knight slowly strummed the guitar to match the mood of the song. At the next verse he strummed a little faster.

And high up above or down below

When you're too in love to let it go

But if you never try you'll never know

Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to Fix You

Meta Knight finished the song with a prolonged note. He looked at Kirby and noticed something different. A little gleam of light was in his eyes. A small grin had creased his face. It didn't seem like much, but it was a start.

"Alright, now try to get some sleep," he said as he placed the guitar behind the log.

He and Kirby began to get comfortable on the ground. Then, he noticed a tear in Kirby's eye. He noticed it too and wiped it away. Kirby didn't know it, but Meta Knight was grinning under his mask. He was glad to see Kirby was getting better. But one thing lingered in his mind. What if Kirby never came back to the village? What if he's set on living alone with his guilt? As Meta Knight eased into sleep he thought to himself, _'Well, I can't say I never tried.'_

* * *

"Ah, that was great! The Waddle Dee planned a good feast," King Dedede laughed as he patted his bloated belly.

Escargon had trouble keeping up with him for he was stuffed. They were heading toward their rooms for the night.

"Yes, it was delicious," the attendant happily replied.

"We should have done this kind of thing a lot sooner."

"Speaking of which, did you see Meta Knight at the banquet?"

"We saw him earlier, remember? We were ordering him not to leave the castle."

Dedede laughed again.

"It's not like he could have helped Kirby anyway. If he was in that fight, he would have been banished too," he joked.

Escargon placed his hand on his chin.

"Maybe he left anyway. Should we look for him tomorrow?"

"Nonsense!"

Dedede stopped in front of his door and turned toward Escargon.

"We shouldn't worry about little things like that. It's not like we need him for anything. Kirby's gone, or did you forget about that too?"

With that note, he said good-night and shut the door on his pondering assistant.

"Well, I know he wouldn't go anywhere without telling someone. Ah, who am I kidding? His majesty is right. I shouldn't be worrying about this," Escargon said to himself as he headed off to bed.

* * *

**Disclaimer to song**

**Fix You by Coldplay**


	3. Chapter 3 Mending

Fix You

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 3: Mending

"Kirby, Kirby."

Kirby was gently nudged awake. His eyes fluttered open. He wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. He was dreaming about food again. Come to think of it, he hasn't thought about food in a while now. He tiredly looked up at Meta Knight who was standing over him.

"Are you awake now?" he asked.

Kirby nodded with his eyes half closed.

"Good, let's get going."

Kirby looked up at the sky and moaned. The sun wasn't even up yet. In fact, the stars were still out and as clear as day. It could have been the middle of the night for all he knew. He tried to go back to sleep.

"Oh come on. You want to get to the mountains, right?"

Kirby sat up and sleepily nodded again.

"Then let's go."

He moaned as he slowly stood up. He yawned as he got his things together. Meta Knight was already to go. He started off into the woods. Kirby had to keep up since Meta Knight was the only one who could see. He wondered why they were up so early. He also wondered why Meta Knight was setting such a fast pace.

Suddenly, his stomach made a loud growl. He stopped and moaned at the empty belly. He heard Meta Knight stop and sigh. What made this situation worse is the fact that Kirby didn't take any food with him. He was so miserable that he completely forgot about it. He soon realized that not thinking about food was unnatural for him. His stomach growled again. He groaned and looked up to see that Meta Knight was holding out an apple.

"What, you think I'd travel with you unprepared?" he asked.

Kirby smiled and took the apple from him. He happily bit away at it as he continued to follow Meta Knight through the brush. As he gulped it down, they made their way into a clearly. A large, grassy hill stood in front of them. Kirby's eyes grew heavy. Eating the apple calmed his stomach, but it also made him more tired. He slowed until he had stopped walking. He tried to keep his eyes open. He noticed Meta Knight come over. He slid the bag off his shoulders, pushed the stick holding his things into the back pack, and gave the whole bundle to him. Kirby eased into it as Meta Knight turned his back and squat down. Kirby looked at him confused.

"Climb up," he said.

Kirby hesitantly grabbed onto his shoulder guards.

"Hurry up."

He got on as Meta Knight stood up straight and gradually start to walk up the hill. Kirby could feel himself begin to fall asleep. He knew that Meta Knight wouldn't appreciate it if he fell asleep on him. He forced his eyes open when he felt Meta Knight stop walking. He drowsily got off and looked around. They were on top of the hill. It overlooked most of the forest. Kirby looked up and saw that the sky was turning light blue and the stars had faded away.

Suddenly, a bright light in the distance caught his eye. He shielded his eyes from the blinding star. He noticed that it was slowly rising over the mountain range. As it rose higher, the valley lit up revealing a thin fog blanketing the area. The fog disappeared and the trees seemed to light up. Kirby started to hear sounds all around him. The crickets had ceased to chirp, but the song birds quickly filled the silence. Suddenly, hundreds of birds flew out of the distant tree tops and fill the blue sky. The sun had now risen over the mountain peaks and its light reflected off the birds' wings, making them shine. Kirby's whole face lit up as well. The sleep lifted out of him and a big smile took its place. He was amazed by nature's way of waking up. He cheered and bounced up and down as the birds flew overhead. He looked over at Meta Knight. He was wrapped in his cape, but he seemed to have been watching him the whole time. Kirby realized then that he was waken up so early and rushed to get here to witness this event. He smiled at him as a way of saying thank you. Meta Knight nodded in return.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky. The villagers were working hard on the town's reconstruction. A make-shift tent was set up. It would shade anyone that wanted to take a break. Curio, the town's archeologist, walked under the tent, sweat dripping down his face. Sam was standing next to a table that was holding a large water container. He picked up a plastic cup, held a button on the pipe and filled the cup with water.

"You look like you could use a drink," he said as he held the cup to him.

"Yes, thank you," Curio tiredly replied as he gratefully took the cup and began to drink.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed.

"I had no idea the village was this badly destroyed," Curio said looking at the rubble.

"I have to agree with you on that one. We wouldn't have had to sit under this tent if there was still one building standing. Kirby did a number on the place."

"It's a good thing he's gone so this doesn't have to happen again."

"How can you say that?!"

The startled men looked over to the edge of the tent. Fumu was sitting backwards on a chair with her crossed arms supporting her chin. She had been listening while she was staring at the ground with a sad look on her face.

"Kirby was just trying to protect us! He didn't deserve to be banished," she angrily added.

Curio and Sam looked at each other and then at the ground.

"I suppose you're right Fumu, I shouldn't have said that," Curio apologized.

"It's ok," she replied as she went back to staring at the ground. "I can't help but feel that all of this is my fault."

"Why is that?" Sam asked concerned.

"I should've said something. I could've helped him, but all I did was make it worse for him. Kirby probably hates me now, but he has a right to.

"Don't say things like that, Fumu. Kirby doesn't hate you," Sam encouraged.

"He can't hate you, not after all you two have been through. Hopefully he doesn't have any ill thoughts about the rest of us," Curio added.

"I guess you're right," she sighed.

Suddenly, Gus, the town's mechanic, barged into the tent out of breath.

"Gus, what's wrong," Sam asked.

He caught his breath and informed, "Did you hear? Escargon has issued a search warrant."

"What?" they all asked in surprise.

Fumu got out of her chair and anxiously walked up to them.

"Well out with it! Who's gone missing?" Curio asked.

"It's Meta Knight."

Sam, Curio, and Fumu looked at each other doubtfully.

* * *

"Alright, what do you two know?"

Escargon had tracked down Blade and Sword. His arms were crossed and he looked impatient.

"Did you really start a search warrant?" Blade asked chuckling.

"Don't try to change the subject! Tell me where he is," Escargon ordered.

"Wish I could tell you, but Sir Meta Knight didn't say where he was going," Sword shrugged.

"Don't play dumb with me!"

"Calm down. What do you need him for? We can do it," Blade reassured.

"I don't need his help for anything! He disobeyed orders and needs to be punished," Escargon stated.

"Really? What did he do?" Sword asked.

"That's none of your concern! Now for the last time, where is he?"

The two knights looked at each other. They knew Meta Knight wouldn't run away from punishment. He would face it bravely. Was it because he left that stirred the attendant up?

They looked back at him and said, "Sorry, we don't know."

"Arg! You two are useless," he shouted as he turned and stomped off.

* * *

A quiet, shimmering stream cut through the forest. A school of fish swam by. Their scales reflected the sunlight making them look like gems. They scattered when a pink arm broke the surface of the water. The creek mirrored Kirby's innocent face. He looked down below the surface and watched in awe of the underwater world.

"Kirby, don't fall in," Meta Knight called as he set his things down.

They had stopped by the brook to eat lunch. Meta Knight looked through his pack for the food. Then, Kirby's sack fell to the group and the red cloth untied. He went to pick it up, but it unraveled, revealing its contents. He looked questionable at the items. There was a pair of goggles and a snorkel.

"Kirby is this all you brought with you?" Meta Knight asked.

Kirby's head was submerged. Bubbles were erupting around him. He pulled his head up and took a deep breath. He shook the water from his head and looked over at Meta Knight. His eyes lit up as he ran over to his belongings. One at a time, he put on the gear then ran back to the stream. He jumped into the water with a splash. Meta Knight watched slightly surprised from the sudden event.

"Ok," he muttered as he went back to what he was doing.

He could tell Kirby was getting better. He seemed to act like his old self again. Of course that means they're going to run out of food soon. However, he may not have recovered from his depression. That idea didn't bother Meta Knight though. Kirby can let go of things over time. His banishment was no different.

He pulled out a package from the back pack. Meta Knight examined it for a bit. It wasn't much of a lunch, but food is food.

"Kirby, lunch!"

He looked over at the stream. Bubbles were coming up from a certain point.

"Humph," Meta Knight mumbled as he bent down and picked up a small rock.

He aimed carefully and tossed the rock into the creek. Soon, Kirby surfaced close to the point the rock hit the water. He held his snorkel and blew the water out of it.

"Kirby, come eat!"

Kirby jumped out of the water and raced toward the camp. He sat down and removed his gear. Meta Knight sat down and took a piece of jerky out of the package.

"It's not much, but it'll hold us over," he said as he held the dark red strip out.

Kirby's face lit up as he took the smoked meat and began to gnaw at it. He hungrily torn a piece off, strongly chewed it for a second, swallowed it, and bit down on it again.

"Slow down, Kirby. You act like you haven't eaten in three days."

He finished the jerky and Meta Knight handed him another. Kirby took it and went to eat it, but stopped himself. He looked at the beef then at Meta Knight.

"What?"

Kirby held the meat up to him as if to give it back.

"No, I'm not hungry now. I'll eat later," he reassured.

Then, his stomach growled. He groaned and placed his hand over it in an attempt to silence it. Kirby giggled.

"What's so funny?"

Kirby touched his cheek.

"Fine, I don't want to take my mask off in front of you," he reluctantly said.

Kirby shrugged and began to eat again. As he was eating, he noticed that the guitar Meta Knight played last night was strapped to the pack. He acted like he didn't see it and kept nibbling at the jerky. He started thinking about a song request.


	4. Chapter 4 Near Journey's End

Fix You

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 4: Near Journey's End

The sky was an orange hue. The sun was sinking into the horizon, changing the shade of the clouds to pink. The villagers were settling in the tiny camp they set up for the night. Some were gathered inside a tent.

"Do you think we should go looking around?"

"No, we have more important things to worry about. He'll be fine by himself."

"What if his majesty really needs him for something? How will he know?"

"Everyone, settle down," the mayor called over the small crowd. "I believe we're all aware of Meta Knight's disappearance. I've called you here to discuss what we choose to do."

"I say we go looking for him," Mabel suggested, "who knows? He could be in trouble."

"Nah, we shouldn't worry about that. We really should worry about rebuilding the village," Sam added.

A divided discussion arose from the group. The mayor scratched the back of his head. He really didn't know what to do. His mind was divided as much as the villagers'.

"We don't have to worry about him. We have to think about what's really important."

The group went silent and looked over to Fumu and Bun who just walked in.

Bun put his hands behind his head and added, "We all know how tough Meta Knight is. Besides, he'll come back."

"Yes, so we should finish rebuilding the town," Fumu stated.

The villagers' suspicion rose when she looked sadly at the ground.

"What's on your mind, Fumu?" the mayor asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about Kirby so much that it kept me from helping the rest of you. I just need to accept that it can't be helped and get back to what's important. So, I think you all should do the same. We need to forget about the search and rebuild the village."

The mayor pondered over her words for a minute. Then, he walked through the crowd and faced her.

"Fumu, it's hard to just forget about things like that. Rebuilding our home is the number one priority, but with every piece of rubble I move, I remember how it even got there. Therefore, Kirby is someone I can't put out of my mind. He shouldn't be tossed aside and forgotten nor should Meta Knight." He turned toward the crowd and continued, "I believe you all have been guilty of the same thing."

The villagers looked around at each other and silently agreed with the mayor. They all have really missed Kirby since he left. Things were so much brighter then. Every day was an adventure with the little warrior around. The stern knight was hard to forget too. He always did his best to protect them from the countless demons.

The mayor turned back to Fumu and Bun then said, "They will not be forgotten. We will continue to reconstruct the village with them in our memories. They are important, but we mustn't let too much concern cloud our minds."

Fumu smiled and nodded. Bun relaxed. He was being affected by her guilt. He was glad that she would no longer be worrying about Kirby so much. This doesn't mean he didn't care about his friend. He missed him too.

* * *

The sun was down, but the mountains were clearly visible. Meta Knight and Kirby drew close to the mighty peaks. It seemed Kirby was still bent on leaving Dream Land for good. Meta Knight thought about these things as he was sifting the coals in the fire. Kirby walked into the fire's light carrying a load of fire wood.

"Good job. That will last us the night," Meta Knight said as Kirby set the logs down.

"Piyo," he replied.

It's been awhile since Kirby answered him with that word. It was certainly great to hear. Meta Knight took a step back from the flame and sat down. He noticed that Kirby was smirking at his pack until he realized the knight saw him. Meta Knight raised an eyebrow. Kirby ran over to his pack, took the guitar from it and went to hand it to him.

He shook his hands in the air and said, "Oh no! That was just for that night, Kirby."

"Poyo," he replied while he nudged it toward him again.

"I played it because you were depressed! I'm not doing it again," he argued with his arms crossed, looking away.

When he looked back at Kirby he had a sad, pleading look on his face. His eyes were slightly bigger and his tiny frown was quivering. Meta Knight continued to glare at him in hopes that Kirby would give in. However, his defiant stare loosened up and he realized that.

"Alright, fine," he reluctantly said.

Kirby's face lit back up as he cheered in victory. He handed the guitar over and ran to his side. He whispered something in his ear.

"Really, that one?"

Kirby nodded and sat down across from him.

"Ok," he said as he looked at the ground, trying to remember how to play it.

Then, he glanced at the strings and began to play a lively tune. (_Nickelback: This Afternoon_)

Kirby continued to dance around even though the song was over.

"Great, now I got you all hyper," Meta Knight joked.

The pink ball twirled around once and fell back on the ground out of breath. Meta Knight knew that neither of them would be able to fall asleep if he was like this.

"Ok, I get the next pick and like it or not I'm playing this one."

He picked up the guitar and played a mellower tune.

Smoke is rising from the houses  
People burying their dead  
I ask somebody what the time is  
But time doesn't matter to them yet  
People talking without speaking  
Trying to take what they can get  
I ask you if you remember  
Prospekt, how could I forget?

Drums  
Here it comes  
Don't you wish that life could be as simple  
As fish swimming round in a barrel?  
When you've got the gun  
Oh and I run  
Here it comes  
We're just two little figures in a soup bowl  
Trying to get behind a kind of control  
But I wasn't one  
Now here I lie  
On my own in a separate sky  
And here I lie  
On my own in a separate sky

I don't wanna die  
On my own here tonight  
But here I lie  
On my own in a separate sky...

When Meta Knight looked up, he saw Kirby was asleep. In the silence, he thought about the song he just played. It unexpectedly reminded him of a war he played a part in a long time ago. The memories weren't very fond. He shook them away and put the guitar aside. Then, he tried to ease himself into sleep, but it took some time.

* * *

The next morning, the warriors were up and ready to go. Meta Knight kicked some dirt on the embers to make sure the fire was out. Then, they both set out for the mountains. It didn't take them long to reach the base. They both looked up at the towering ridge.

"Alright, Kirby, I need you to listen. It can be dangerous climbing up here so you need to stay close and watch your footing."

Meta Knight looked over at Kirby to see if he was paying attention. He was still gawking up at the gigantic hill.

"Kirby!"

He jumped slightly and looked at him.

"Did you hear me?"

Kirby thought for a second then shook his head.

"Just stay close," Meta Knight sighed as he started up the rocky slope.

They slowly ascended the mountain. They took a more diagonal route instead of straight up. This way, they had less of a chance of slipping and wouldn't get tried so soon. About half-way up, Kirby started humming. Meta Knight recognized the tune from the first song he played the night before. Then, Kirby raised his voice and began singing. Meta Knight covered his ears as best he could. He was known all too well that he was a terrible singer. In fact, one of his most destructive abilities was Mike Kirby, when his singing completely destroyed the castle. He felt the ground rumble and looked up. The peak seemed to break up and rubble started rolling down.

"Kirby, stop singing!"

Kirby didn't hear his distressed call. He began singing louder. Meta Knight cringed.

"Kirby! Stop now!"

The rubble tumbling down began growing into larger stones. Suddenly, Kirby's voice was muffled. Meta Knight had dashed over and covered his mouth. The mountain stopped shaking.

He leaned in closer and muttered, "Do me a favor, don't start singing until we get off this mountain."

Kirby nodded. Meta Knight let go and began to turn around. The cord that tied the guitar to the pack got caught on a small dead tree. The strap came lose and the guitar fell to the ground. The mixed sound it made must have been as loud as Kirby's singing for the mountain began to shake. They looked up and saw large boulders come tumbling toward them. Huge dust clouds erupted behind them. Kirby stood stunned. Meta Knight quickly grabbed him and the guitar up then ran. He saw a rock overhanging ahead of them. He made a beeline for it. Kirby watched as the avalanche swiftly approached them. He snapped out of his shock and took Meta Knight's sword. The golden hilt shot golden static up as the blade formed. He concentrated on it. The weapon started to glow white. He then slashed the air. The light escaped the sword and sped towards the falling rocks. The streak of light collided with the boulders and made an explosion. The rest of the avalanche raced around it and closed in behind the warriors. Meta Knight slid under the overhang. The rocks rained down around them. A dust cloud surrounded them. Meta Knight shielded them with his cape to keep them from inhaling the dirt. The rocks pounded the overhang and made their ears ring.

* * *

"What do you think made Escargon so mad?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was because Sir Meta Knight left."

Blade and Sword were in their room. Blade was sitting on top his bed and Sword was leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed. They had been discussing about their conversation with the king's attendant since they woke up.

"Well, he did leave unexpectedly," Blade added.

"He could have left to celebrate somewhere else," Sword suggested.

"No, don't you think we would have gone too if that's the case?"

"That's true."

Blade fell back on his pillow and stared at the ceiling.

"At any rate, it's a little strange Escargon got so mad," Blade said.

"Yeah, you'd think he'd still be happy about Kirby leaving."

There was a pause.

"Well, he and his majesty have been trying to get rid of him for a while now."

"Wait a minute; did you notice Meta Knight left after Kirby did?" Sword asked.

"Now that you mention it, yes, but that might be just a coincidence."

"You don't think Meta Knight left with him, do you?"

Blade sat up. They looked at each other in thought. They both knew that that could've been the reason their lord left.

"No, that can't be, can it?" Blade asked.

"Meta Knight didn't say he wanted to get rid of Kirby, right?"

Blade cocked his fist and said, "If Meta Knight really didn't want Kirby to go then he must not have known that demon was going to attack the village."

Sword walked away from the wall and added, "Your right. I'm sure he left us here so we can find out where that demon came from!"

They nodded at each other. Blade hopped off the bed and they both headed toward the throne room to start their investigation.

* * *

The crashing noises had finally stopped. The dust cloud gradually cleared. Meta Knight peered out from his cape and looked around. All the rubble was gathered at the base of the mountain. He and Kirby were covered in dirt. They coughed out the dust that managed to get in their lungs. Meta Knight looked up at the overhang. The rock had enormous cracks in it, but it still waded out the onslaught of boulders. He looked at Kirby who was still holding his sword. He realized that Kirby's actions had saved their lives. If he didn't perform the Sword Beam they would have been swallowed up by the avalanche and their bodies would have been in that pile at the base of the mountain.

"Kirby…"

Kirby glanced up at him.

"If it wasn't for you, we would be dead."

Kirby smiled warmly and handed the sword back to him. Meta Knight withdrew it.

"But don't you EVER sing again!"

Kirby jumped a bit, but smirked and scratched the back of his head as if to say 'my bad'.

They continued to climb without much difficulty. When they reached the top, Kirby ran up to the edge and took a look beyond them. There was a huge, fertile valley below the mountain. A large forest was at the edge of the green land. There could have been hundreds of new places to see beyond the forest. Kirby had never been outside of Dream Land before and was dying to go exploring with his new friend. He looked back at Meta Knight, but his joy seized to climb. He was looking at him with sadness in his eyes, but it was hard to tell. Meta Knight took out Kirby's stick and gave it to him. He noticed the bag was enlarged.

"I put some supplies in there. It should last you at least three days until you find a place to stay."

Meta Knight then turned around and began to walk away. Kirby ran to catch up to him, but he stopped and half faced him.

"Kirby, I want you to know that no one hates you for what happened."

Kirby stood surprised.

"I know this is your decision, but everyone's going to miss you. I know…"

Meta Knight glanced at the ground and proceeded to descend the mountain.

"I know I would," he muttered.

Kirby stood there and watched him go. He had completely forgotten why they were heading toward the ridge in the first place. He remembered the fight with the robot dinosaur and how he destroyed the village. The villagers were infuriated. But, is it true what Meta Knight said? Were they really going to miss him? He looked over the ridge again then at the ground. He was alone.

* * *

Meta Knight reached the forest. He didn't look back. He knew their separation would be hard for Kirby, but he didn't think it would be hard for him too. He sighed and reached behind him. He pulled his guitar in front of him and held it up right as he continued to walk. He looked at it for a bit and began to play.

When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose somethin' you can't replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to Fix You


	5. Chapter 5 Recovery

Fix You

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 5: Recovery

The villagers worked hard to finish rebuilding the town. It was almost completely rebuilt. There was only one building that needed to be fixed. With the whole town working on it, it didn't take much time at all. The final board was nailed in place and all the townspeople cheered. They were relieved that the town was as good as new. Things only got better. Some of them noticed someone approaching the village. As the figure got closer, they found out who it was. The crowd ran up to meet him. The man stood and waited for the villagers to reach him.

"Sir Meta Knight, you're back!"

They stopped in front of him.

"Escargon issued a search warrant for you," Gus said.

"Humph, I'm only gone for a few days and I'm already needed," he replied sarcastically.

As the villagers welcomed the knight back, things at the castle were quite different.

* * *

"Escargon, I'm bored."

King Dedede was practically asleep on his throne. Escargon was pacing back and forth. He was still thinking about Meta Knight leaving.

"I apologize, my king, but my mind is on other things," he replied.

"I told you to stop thinking about Meta Knight! Now, find something to entertain me."

Suddenly, the TV started to act on its own. They turned toward it as the static cleared and showed the businessman.

"It's been awhile since I heard from you, your majesty," Customer Service said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that the attack worked," the king stated.

"Oh, it did?" the man asked, surprised.

"Kirby destroyed the demon, but he destroyed the village in the process. The villagers ended up running him out of town," Escargon added.

"Excellent," the man said as he clasped his hands together, "I'm so glad to hear the new demons were such a success! We'll start mass producing right away."

"Glad to hear it," Escargon said slightly indifferent as he was about to walk away.

"Hold up, you got any more of those robot demons?" King Dedede asked.

"Of course," he said as the screen switched from his camera view to a visual list of metal demons. "Choose whatever one you like, and the discount still stands."

"What are you going to do with a demon?" the attendant asked.

"I'm going to have some fun," the king smirked.

Behind the cracked double doors stood Blade and Sword. They looked at each other and nodded. They now knew the demon threat still existed.

* * *

Meta Knight was half-way between the village and the castle. He was tired from his hike back to Dream Land. He had no idea what was waiting for him back at the castle. Suddenly, something rushed past him. He turned toward it, but he couldn't make out what it was. Whatever it was, it was heading straight for the town. He thought the worst and began to run back to the village.

* * *

A cork went flying through the air. Foam erupted from the wine bottle. The villagers cheered and clanked their glasses together. They happily drank away to celebrate the rebuilding of the town. All the kids played outside. They raced around the bar as their giggles filled the air. Bun and Fumu raced around with them. Then, Fumu stopped. She looked toward the entrance of the village. _'I could swear I heard something,' _she thought to herself. Bun stopped next her.

"What's wrong, sis," he asked.

Fumu continued to stare. Suddenly, she saw a dust cloud approaching the town. All the other kids halted and watched in surprise. The cloud stopped and cleared. In its place sat an enormous lizard. Fumu gasped. It was another metal demon. The lizard crawled towards them.

"Warn everyone! We have to get somewhere safe," Fumu commanded.

The children ran inside the bar and franticly warned the adults about the robot.

"Bun, you too," she added.

"I'm staying with you," he argued.

The demon crawled closer to them. Its mechanical tongue flicked at them. Its bright red eyes locked on them. As it got within striking range, it screeched at them.

"Bun, Fumu!"

Meta Knight jumped up with his sword poised above his head.

"Sir Meta Knight," they shouted simultaneously.

He came down on the monster. He repeatedly struck its neck, but it didn't leave a scratch. The demon reared up and threw him off. Meta Knight landed behind it. The robot turned and faced him.

"You two get out of here," he said.

They nodded and left to find a safe place to hide. Meta Knight keenly watched the demon for an attack. The demons tail sifted back and forth on the ground. It slowly began to walk in a circle. Meta Knight copied its movements. The monster's claws raked the dirt. They continued to circle each other until Meta Knight had almost switched places with it. Suddenly, the metal beast lashed out at him, full speed. He blocked the incoming attack. The demon hissed at him and went to strike him again. He continued to block the attacks. Meta Knight tried to figure what to do next. His blade wasn't enough to penetrate the metal skin. Then, the monster's claws collided with the golden weapon. Meta Knight was hurled through the air. He slammed into the ground and skidded to a halt. The reptile got closer to him while he was still gathering himself. It roared down on him as it lunged forward. Suddenly, something flew above him and kicked the demon away. It rolled across the earth. Meta Knight looked up and couldn't believe his eyes.

"Kirby!?"

Kirby turned and smiled at him. The demon got up and shrieked at them. Meta Knight hopped up and stood next to the pink warrior. The robot lunged at them both. Meta Knight locked his sword with its claws. Kirby quickly took out his hammer and slammed it against its head. It staggered back. A piece of metal had peeled back slightly, revealing a strange red glow. Meta Knight thought that's where the brain was. The demon cracked its metallic neck and opened its mouth wide. What happened next was almost too quick to avoid. A burst of flames shot out of its jaws and threaten to consume the warriors. Meta Knight instinctively grabbed Kirby and jumped out of the way. The beast cut down the flame and turned toward them. It spit out fire once more. Kirby raced up and sucked in the flames. He held it for a bit then breathed the blaze back at the beast. The inferno consumed the metal lizard, but when it cleared the monster wasn't even singed. Meta Knight had taken position close to it. He lunged at its head when it wasn't looking and cut the peeling metal clean off. The demon roared, spun around, and swatted him with its large tail. Meta Knight went flying through the air. He roughly landed on a roof with it still intact. Kirby took a good look at the red plasma sparking furiously in the clear dome. Meta Knight saw it too.

"Kirby!"

He looked up at the knight.

"Take this," he shouted as he threw his sword towards him.

Kirby sucked it up and began to glow white. A long, green cap appeared on his head. The golden sword formed in his fist. The light disbursed and revealed the new transformation, Sword Kirby. The demon roared at him and shot mighty flames at him once more. He wheeled out of the way and skidded to a halt. The robot dashed toward him and slashed its claws at the warrior. Kirby blocked the attacks, sending sparks into the air. The metal beast lashed out and went to bite him. Kirby hopped above the jaws and slammed them down. The demon threw him high into the sky. The golden sword began to glow. Kirby held it above his head and came down on the monster. It reared up and shot flames at him. He threw the sword in front of him and sliced through the blaze that parted with ease. Then, he hit metal. Kirby touched down on the ground with the sword below the demon. It made a faded cry and parted straight down the middle. Both sides collapsed to the earth.

Although he won, Kirby wasn't ready to celebrate just yet. He stuck the sword's point in the ground. His green hat turned into a tiny star and popped off. He began sucking in a large amount of air. The sliced demon entered the whirlwind and disappeared inside his mouth. Kirby turned to the sky and shot the robot into the air. At the peak of its flight, it exploded into a cloud of smoke. Kirby sighed in relief then jumped up and cheered.

"Kirby!"

He turned and saw Fumu and Bun racing toward him with their arms wide open. They hugged him long and tight.

"We missed you so much," Fumu said.

At that moment, the townspeople ran out of their hiding places and gathered around them. Kirby smiled and returned Bun and Fumu's hug. He was as happy as he's been in a long time. Meta Knight stood on the roof wrapped in his cape. He was grinning under his mask. Kirby had been accepted back in the village and it looked like he was going to stay. He jumped down from the building and went to the castle to see what awaited him.

* * *

"What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Escargon stood with his arms crossed. Meta Knight stood before him and the king.

"I understand that I disobeyed orders," he replied, "and that is unacceptable."

"Exactly, but being honest isn't going to help you," the attendant added.

King Dedede sat on the throne with one arm supporting his chin. His eyes fluttered briefly from boredom and indifference.

"For your disobedience, you will be punished to the fullest extent," Escargon stated.

Meta Knight didn't flinch. He would accept any punishment with no complaints.

"Hmm, what should it be," Escargon pondered. "Your punishment is-"

"Go make me something to eat," King Dedede shouted from his throne.

The knight and attendant were a little surprised.

"Uh, yes your majesty," Meta Knight replied bowing.

"I want a turkey sub," he added, "with mayo. Miracle Whip is not the same as mayo!"

Meta Knight left the room. As soon as he walked through the doors, he chuckled and shook his head. Escargon was still stunned.

"Sire, he deserves more of a punishment than that! Remember, he assisted Kirby in defeating that lizard robot," he argued.

"Calm down," the king replied, "he left, but he came back. Besides, I enjoy trying to defeat Kirby."

Escargon began to object, but he remembered not to question the king. He also silently agreed with him.

* * *

Meta Knight was almost done with the king's lunch. Then, he heard someone enter the kitchen. He turned to find Sword and Blade.

"So, how were things while I was gone?" Meta Knight asked.

"Productive," Blade replied.

"We know where the demons are coming from," Sword added.

Meta Knight tensed up and asked, "Where?"

"We found King Dedede talking to a businessman from the Holy Nightmare Company," Blade stated.

"We believe Nightmare is gone, but the business is still going."

Meta Knight's eyes turned red as he thought about this.

"It seems they are producing more robot demons as well. The war may not be over," he stated.

"What do we do?" Blade asked.

"We'll do what we can," he replied, his eyes reverting back to yellow, "when the time comes, we will end the war for good."

The subordinates nodded. Meta Knight took up the sub and went to deliver it.

"By the way, where did you go?" Blade asked.

Meta Knight turned and smirked.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," he said as he left the room.

* * *

Kirby walked through the castle's corridors. It's been awhile since he returned. He had no idea the villagers would have rebuilt the town so quickly nor accept him the way they did. Kirby glanced down at the golden sword in his fist. It reminded him how much Meta Knight helped him. If it wasn't for him, he would not have returned to Dream Land.

Kirby walked past a patio then stopped. He backed up and saw Meta Knight standing there, overlooking the land below. He noticed him and turned. Kirby walked up to him.

"I take it things are going well," Meta Knight asked.

Kirby nodded and handed him the sword. He took it and withdrew it. Then, Kirby came over and hugged him. His initial reaction would be to angrily push him away, but he softened a bit and placed a hand on his back. Kirby remembered when Meta Knight left him on the mountain. A short time after he left, he heard him play a familiar song. It was that song that convinced Kirby to return home. He followed the sound back to the village and defeated the demon attacking the town.

Meta Knight patted him and nudged him away.

"Don't think I've gone soft now and don't expect me to be nice anymore. We're once again rivals, so keep that in mind."

Kirby nodded.

"Good, now run along," he added.

Kirby ran back into the castle. He grinned from what he said. If they're rivals again then that means they were friends for some time. That thought fueled his step and kept him smiling.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Please Review!**


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